- Where have you just come from?
- What are the teachings of your lineage, the content of its practice, and a record that attests to it? What is fundamental to understand this teaching?
I spent an unusually long time as an undergrad. I entered as a psych major and graduated with a degree in History of Philosophy, which took me 6.5 years with an additional year break in there somewhere. My mother made fun of me for taking lots of classes that had no connection at all to either major. Part of this was doubtless about the debt I incurred as part of this process, since we weren't well off by any means. Somewhere at the end of the sixth year someone mentioned this "Zen" to me so I went to the library, flipped through the first book I came across, saw that it was about religious meditation, and concluded Zen was bunk (along with yoga and other forums of "prayer").
Two or so years later after graduation I was taking a yoga class (to balance out strength training, really) and the instructor had a box of books to be donated and offered me whatever I might want out of it. I saw a book about Zen by D.T. Suzuki, flipped through it, didn't understand why there wasn't more meditation in it, and took it home with me. Not a fan of D.T. Suzuki, I did find the quotes he was rather stingy with interesting... what was that stuff? Where did it come from?
Then, on a trip to Manhattan, caught in an unexpected rainshower, looking for anywhere to get out of the rain, I opted for a Japanese bookstore, went in, and quickly found Blyth's Mumonkan, aka Wumen's Checkpoint, on the shelf, bought it, was instantly smitten, and here we are.
Nowadays I say I'm from r/Zen. Given some of the really astonishing accomplishments of the forum over the last few years that means something.
- What's your text?
- What text, personal experience, quote from a master, or story from zen lore best reflects your understanding of the essence of zen?
I'm trying to clear off a few smaller projects so I can continue working on my edits and annotations of Blyth's Mumonkan. I estimate that it will clock in at over 500 pages, I've started a savings account so that the manuscript can be edited and typeset by a professional editor who can do flashy splashy textbook-like stuff to the pages. I have finished two draft chapters so I know what's involved.
All this to say that likely Wumen's Checkpoint is my text, or at least what I'm most familiar with. I do love me some Measuring Tap though, especially in terms of it's informal tone, excessive details, and the overall unconventionality of the Cases it contains.
- Dharma low tides?
- What do you suggest as a course of action for a student wading through a "dharma low-tide"? What do you do when it's like pulling teeth to read, bow, chant, sit, or post on r/zen?
Let's say that "low tides" question came from a culture of religious people who were losing faith. I think the solution, from the point of view of a secular community dedicated to self examination, is to see the low tide as one way in which your Buddha nature exerts itself, flexes it's muscles in a realm of delusion. If that's the case, then low tides are invaluable opportunities to clean house, to throw out all sorts of irrationality, undisciplined new age whack-a-doodlery, to stop doing what you are told and start thinking for yourself.
Get started.
Submitted June 03, 2022 at 09:24AM by ewk https://ift.tt/Y7CkFOw
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